When September Ends
by Sealeena
Summary: AU: He's finally found a place to stay and maybe, just maybe, everything will be alright Kagome, InuYasha, and Miroku, they know that life is never simple. But then...you see the possibilities and it makes you wonder if happiness is real...KagxInu SanxMir
1. Chapter One

To be continued disclaimer: I don't own him or the others. Don't sue. End of story.

_Sealeena-_ Okay, I have too many stories building up. This is going to stress me out, but this idea hit me so suddenly and was actually strangling me for it to get out. It was such a different idea for InuYasha, I just had to get it going. Well, I don't know if it's original or not, but I promise to give the angst my stories have!

**xxxx**

_Chapter One_

**xxxx**

_He parked the International outside his new home, a run down house, one story, but his. It was his to rebuild, a place to have of his own, a life to begin. No one here knew him, knew what his past was, the horrible things he had done, the horrible things that happened to him. He shook his head, trying to throw out the violent images that haunted him, even at this very moment, intent on following him for the rest of his life an owing him no peace. But, he knew that he'd have to live with that._

_Sighing, he walked to the old trailer that was pulled behind the International, pushing the rolling door up, the metal clattering along the tracks. He looked at the measly array that held his life: an old bed frame, a beat up mattress, a dusty couch, an antique table, four wooden chairs, some blankets (a handmade quilt he was extremely fond of had been able to stay with him), and several other necessities, packed away in boxes. He didn't keep many pictures. The only ones he had were tucked away in his wallet: a smiling family portrait of him, his half brother, his mother, his father, and then one he had of his dearest friends Shippo and Kiara, smiling sweetly at the camera, and a very faded head shot of her, the one who broke his heart and literally almost had killed him._

_He closed his eyes for one moment, focusing himself, and then grabbed the first box, abandoning his troubles for the time being._

**xxxx**

_She straightened her leather gloves before grabbing hold of twine that held the hay. Bracing herself, she lifted the hay bale, placing it on her thighs so as to rest a moment. Then, grunting audibly, a way that seemed to help amplify her strength, she hefted the hay bale onto the back of the pickup. Her cheeks were flushed and she was sweating, something that would happen to anyone who had been performing the labor she had for the past hour and a half, but when she looked at the back of the pickup, there were only three rows stacked. It wasn't much, but maybe that was because she was tired and a little weaker than men. _

_But now she had done her chores, and she could go home and take a hot bath, a luxury that she would allow herself after she had done her homework. Then again, looking at her watch and concluding it to be suppertime, she'd probably spend the rest of the night doing homework, doing dishes, read Souta a bedtime story, and clean up her room, only to be stuck with a cold shower in the morning. She wouldn't complain, though, because she was used to it, used to working hard, working hard, and, of course, working hard. She didn't want her mother to worry. She had enough of it already, so she never saw the problem with taking on a small operation by herself. It wasn't a problem, right? She was a young woman and she was responsible. It was perfectly normal that she had to be like this, all work and no play, right? Right? _

_She shifted the pickup into gear, driving out of the road ditch, and gunning the accelerator. She was only a few miles from home, and she'd be there within a few minutes. She didn't want to unload the bales tonight, and they'd be perfectly fine until after school tomorrow. All she wanted to do right now was relax, just a little while, before she would continue her nightly routines. It was the same, yes, but was regular in her schedule, and she couldn't afford chaos at the moment, not when she was managing a ranch, even if small, mostly by herself. _

_She stopped the Chevy, put it in park, and then turned it off. For a moment, she stared through the windshield, taking in her home, what had been hers for so long. She placed her forehead against the steering wheel and let out a sob, pounding her fists on the dashboard in frustration._

_This was reality, and it sucked. _

**xxxx**

_He sat on the bridge, his legs hanging over the side of it. The river gurgled softly below him, telling him of its sorrows, but he could only relate to them a little. He couldn't tell the river how to cure its sorrows, couldn't ask the river how to he should care for his own sorrows. But, he came to the river to contemplate, to think of the troubles, but not too deeply as to where it would keep him up the rest of the night. He didn't work that way, was laid back, and being laid back meant that one must not worry. _

_If only life could be so simple. Alas, it was not, and he was thus cursed and blessed with the conscience bestowed upon a mortal man. _

_He looked at his right hand, covered in the ornamental glove, decorated with the blue opals. It was the one thing that he had successfully been able to keep from everyone at school: jocks, cheerleaders, preps, and any other piece of dirt who decided that name-calling and ambushes were funny. It was the one thing that followed him everywhere, that horrible event that he wanted to forget always, but of course couldn't. He must always keep it a secret because he was afraid how much more he'd be shunned. He did not want people to be horrified of him. _

_He couldn't let himself get caught up like this. So, trying to forget the hurt he was feeling, he got up and dusted his Wranglers off before heading to the old feed pickup. He started it up and put it into gear, driving down the dirt road at an increasingly faster pace, until the vehicle bounced along the tracks, threatening to push the driver through the roof if they did not know how to handle themselves on such mundane modes of transportation. _

_He didn't care, though. Why should he care? He only cared about one thing, his family legacy, the business he'd be running soon. And, he'd do anything and everything to keep it. Nothing, no one, would get in his way or distract him, even if he was a skirt chaser that the girls would swoon at and the boys would beat the living shit out of him for. _

**xxxx**

_She clapped her hands, a fake smile on her face, just like the other cheerleaders around her. But, she was happy, sort of, because the team was winning by fifteen points in the fourth quarter, and this was terrific, a sign of good luck. This was their first game of the season and they where slaughtering the opposing team, punctuated by another slam dunk, making the crowd go wild, high school kids leaping to their feet, yelling, people cheering so loud, so hard. It was a mass sea of chaos and support. It made people play better and it gave an adrenaline rush that just couldn't be matched. _

_She kicked her leg high in the air, smashing her pom-poms together underneath her thigh. She shouted, "Go Wildfire!" at the top of her lungs, in unison with the rest of the cheerleading squad. They stole the ball, the crowd went wild again, and she did yet another cheer, another pointless cheer that the people never listened to. They were off in their own world, riveted on the game, performing the wave as a rally, making their own chants: "Defense" Stomp. Stomp. "Defense!" Stomp. Stomp. Or, they'd make a rhyme to a player's name. Either way, their voices were louder, overpowering. It was a deafening roar in the ears, and she realized that's what she got from living in a small town that thought sports was everything. _

_Yet another basket was scored, fifteen seconds left, and the crowd went wild yet again. Boys were pounding on the drums from jazz band, hooting, hollering, waving drumsticks in the air. Girls, some of them, cheered along, less loudly, but laughing and enjoying themselves immensely, one screaming to her boyfriend on the team that she loved him. Then, with ten seconds left, everyone in the gym on her team's side jumped up and down, yelling "Ooohhhh!" until it was the only thing heard. It was like being caught up in a current that you were drowning in. _

_The ten seconds ticked off, the buzzer rang, and the home crowd yelled so loudly she wanted to cover her ears. People were hugging each other, ecstatic, the basketball boys laughing and then going to shake hands with the opposing team, a sign of good sportsmanship. She smacked her pom-poms together, no longer smiling, but just walking to the wall so as to stay out of the way of everyone. She looked at the people milling around the gym and sighed. _

_Why she had become a cheerleader in the first place was one question she wouldn't answer anytime soon. _

**xxxx**

"Hurry up, Souta!" she hollered. "Miroku's here! We're going to be late!" She stood at the bottom of the stairs, school bag slung over her shoulder, foot tapping impatiently. She looked to the door to see that her cousin, Miroku, had hopped out of his pick up and was heading for her house, walking along at a leisurely pace with his hands in his pockets, the beads on his ornamental glove clinking together in time with his swaying. She sighed in frustration. "Souta! Come _on_!" She emphasized the last word with a stomp.

"I'm coming already!" Souta, her little brother, slid down the banister of the stairway. He hopped off at the end with a flourish. He held his hands up high and Miroku entered just in time to give the young boy a small round of applause. "Hey Miroku! How's Sweet Pea?"

"He's fine," he replied. "I just put him in the coral yesterday. You can come with me and we'll start getting him halter broke. It shouldn't be too hard for all the attention you've been giving him. I have a feeling he'll let you right into the saddle." He tousled the younger boy's hair affectionately.

"Yes!" Souta pumped a fist in the air. He turned to Kagome. "Is that all right sis?"

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Sure. Why not?"

"Awesome!" Souta ran out of the house, leaving his sister and his cousin behind.

Miroku turned to his cousin at first with a smile, but then he looked at her and his face began to show worry. She looked up at him, smiling a little, but her smile soon faltered under his gaze. She turned her head and rubbed her arms, uncomfortable. He frowned slightly and grabbed a hold of one wrist, not hard, but enough to make her look back at him.

"Is everything all right, Kagome?" he asked. "You seem…different lately." His deep blue eyes showed concern for his beloved cousin and he softly stroked her face.

She shook her head. "I'm not acting different. It's nothing. I just, I've just been a little tired lately. The bailing twine broke on about half the square bales last night and I only let them sit out for a week. I don't know the first thing about farming and Mom just went to a conference in Minnesota last night. I'm screwed. I have no idea what the fuck I'm doing anymore. I hate tractors."

They walked towards the door. Souta was sitting in the pickup, bouncing around on the seat in the back, with some J-rock band playing, probably B'z or wait…it was actually L'arcenCiel. Miroku dabbled in almost every kind of music there was, including internationally. The song was an upbeat pace, but Souta decided that wasn't good enough for him and began banging his head in an offbeat time to the music. The effect it produced to an observer was quite comical and Kagome and Miroku chuckled.

Miroku slung his arm over Kagome's shoulder as they approached his vehicle and vigorously rubbed his fist into her hair, instantly making it wild and curly. She opened the passenger door and slid in, while Miroku took his place behind the driver's wheel. He gunned the engine, stepped on the clutch, put it in gear, and they peeled out of the driveway, dirt flying up from the back tires. Souta let out a whoop of joy and immediately went back to head banging, Kagome rolled her eyes, and Miroku gave one of his trademark dazzling grins.

"Ready for another day of torture?" he asked.

"Only if I get to whip the miserable little sons-of-a-bitches," she replied with a big smirk.

Miroku let out a chuckle. "You kinky little girl. I always knew there was something I liked about you."

**xxxx**

He stared at his new locker, his backpack resting at his feet. High school kids stared at him, whispered about him. The hallway was probably unusually quiet, even for a small school with only three hundred kids. He wanted to turn to all of them at shout at them, scream for them to stop staring, to stop gossiping and spreading rumors about him already. God damn bunch of little assholes…They thought they were better than him.

"I should go back to bed he muttered," and began to load the locker with a few notebooks and the textbooks the school had given him. He shoved his backpack into the locker with a ferocious force and slammed the door shut. People in the hallway turned to him with odd looks on their faces. He gave a sneer. "What?"

"Why do I have the feeling you don't know the inner mind of a small town located in the middle of nowhere?" A girl asked. He whirled to see that someone accompanied her.

"Don't worry though. I've been here over half my life and I _still_ don't fit in," the boy next to her mentioned.

He realized that the guy and the girl, both very good looking, were obviously related in some way. The girl casually smiled as she shoved her shoulder bag in her locker located next to the one he had just slammed shut and the guy tightened a strange ornamental glove that was on his right hand unconsciously, as if it were a habit.

The girl smiled. "Hi. I'm Kagome Michaels."

"Miroku Michaels."

"Are you brother and sister?" he asked.

Kagome shook her head. "No. We're first cousins, but I guess we're pretty close to being siblings." She stared at him a moment and him at her. She had black, wavy hair, hanging down to the small of her back, making it seem like a dark waterfall in motion. Her grey eyes and pale skin were a stark contrast to what the people up north here looked like with their farmer's tan and rough body builds. A small t-shirt, proudly proclaiming: "Don't give me attitude. I have my own" adorned her. It seemed so _befitting_ for someone like her. She seemed to be daring someone, anyone to piss her off. A pair of worn hip-huggers hinted at her curves and some old boots showed that she wasn't exactly caring or up-to-date with style. He could tell instantly that she was a rancher, just like the others, with a different outlook on life and view of work ethics. "I guess you're the new guy." She was gorgeous, but she gave him a feeling like

This guy was different, very different. He had waist long, jet black hair, a darker complexion, one accomplished from staying outside, a lean, muscular frame, and the most gorgeous face she had ever seen. It held two, large, violet/grey eyes, which were slightly furrowed at the moment. He wore tight black pants with black buckle boots, and a large black t-shirt that simply read "Bite me" in the back with small, white letters on it. She nearly swooned, but held her ground, remembering that Miroku was standing next to her and would most likely have a smart-ass comment. Plus, he'd never let her hear the end of it and would then try to harass the poor boy.

InuYasha turned to Miroku and studied him as well, but not as hard as he had Kagome. The guy was tall, about his height, also a rancher of some kind, the attitude much like Kagome's, but a little more reserved. He had black hair like Kagome's, a small ponytail sticking out in the back, two earrings on one ear, one on the other. He wore a black shirt…and western jeans with some old black and blue cowboy boots. The most unusual thing about him, though, was the glove that he wore on his right hand. A string of blue opals decorated it. There must have been an interesting story behind _that_.

"What's your name?" Kagome asked.

He turned back to her and was greeted with another casual smile. "InuYasha Kalligan." She gave a look that said she was confused about his nationality. He explained, "My father was Japanese, any my mother wanted to have a name that honored my father." He gave a small snort. "I guess it doesn't really matter. It's just a name."

The two looked each other in the eye: grey to violet, calm to violent. And in that instant, more passed through them then anything words could have done. A spark was started, but soon enough…it might have turned into a flame.

**xxxx**

_End Chapter_

**xxxx**

Author's Notes: Hey there everybody! I guess I don't have much to say except I hope that everyone reviews! I know that this isn't a very climatic opening, but I promise there'll be tension and lots of drama to go around. So, reviews for me, pretty please? Anyways, I know this story is different, but I'll try to stick with the characters' personality as close as possible, but this is an AU, so try to keep that in mind. Well, I guess I should go. I hope everyone keeps an eye on this story. I'd like to know if it's worth keeping or not.


	2. Chapter Two

**xxxx**

_Chapter Two_

**xxxx**

Kagome couldn't concentrate on her speech class. She could only stare into space while her teacher lectured on time frames, scripts, and sound recording for their commercials, and she thought of InuYasha. Even though everyone else seemed to shy away from him, except Miroku, she found him oddly…compelling, and it both alarmed and excited her. Maybe it was because he was so unpopular and maybe it was because her friends were scared to death of him. Yet still, she wanted to get close to him, as if there were some strange force that compelled her to be with him.

How could she, after all, not be drawn to those eyes, that face, the _attitude_? Everything in him screamed primal, as if he were a wolf, or maybe a little more domesticated, like a dog. Yes, he definitely reminded her of a dog, a large, beautiful, grumpy dog that wouldn't let anyone who he didn't like right away near him. She wanted to get near him, to be the one allowed to pet him, to say, "Good boy!" and-

"Kagome! What did I just say?" Ms. Conway, an older but energetic woman, asked loudly.

Kagome's thoughts rushed back to the situation at hand and she realized her error. Blushing, she looked around at her classmates; their desks had been arranged in a large circle that encompassed the entire room so no one had to turn when the teacher paced around the room. All eyes were able to stare at her without having to make any movements, which was worse, because the teacher didn't say anything for them to avert their gaze. Nothing would make anyone turn completely around and get in trouble. It was a terrific way of enjoying other people's misery, just like they were enjoying hers now.

"I'm sorry Ms. Conway, but I didn't hear you." Her whole face felt as if it was on fire and she couldn't help but sink lower in her chair. "What was the question?" She asked, her voice squeaking. The class broke into laughter at her lapse in her normal voice. The teacher was forced to quiet them down before turning back to her.

Ms. Conway sighed. "I asked for three examples of misconceptions about public speaking."

Kagome wished that either she could sink into the floor or that maybe a certain dog-like boy would come in and rescue her from this torture (was he the knight in shining armor type?). Of course, that was silly fantasizing, and was thus wrong. Of course…She just couldn't seem to learn.

**xxxx**

He sat on the top row of the bleachers in the gym. The cheerleaders were practicing this hour. Since it was basketball season, they needed to stay in top form and condition, and boy oh boy, they were in top form.

"Okay, let's go through the cheers for the pep rally today!" Sango shouted. Miroku held a special interest for her, because she seemed so out of place with this group, even if she was in sync with the actions and even if her movements were perfect. Just her attitude alone was different, as if she were always on the point of boredom with what she was doing. It was as if she didn't want to be a cheerleader. "Cheer one!"

She was beautiful, tall and strong, the impression of the strength rippling underneath her skin. Her body spoke to him. Every muscle, every curve, told him what she was thinking, what she would do next. Others may not have noticed, but her emotions were played out through every fiber of her being, and he could easily guess what her thoughts were, often infuriating her. Her long brown hair was tied back into a ponytail, her chocolate eyes full of concentration. Her poise wasn't a bit out of place. She didn't even break a sweat, while several others were already red in the face. She was graceful, amazing, athletic, an embodiment of energetic youthfulness.

He liked her, and he loved her reactions whenever she caught him groping her at the basketball games. The slaps may have been painful, but her embarrassment was well worth the torture; it was like he was able to show that she was just another girl, nothing extraordinary. Her eyes met his, brown to blue, and for a split second, he thought she blushed under his gaze, but then her eyes averted his and she was back to practicing, back to cheering, back to ignoring him again, ignoring _him_ just like everybody else would do. Of course, he knew that wasn't always true, for he caught her gaze several more times.

He gave a small grin.

Sango was _certainly_ an interesting subject.

**xxxx**

She stood at her locker, everyone else running past her, trying to flee from school so they could start their after school activities. She had to wait for Souta to come to her the school on the shuttle bus. The two rural towns in North Dakota had to consolidate, due to lack of students (less people were coming in than out, and now it was starting to show with the younger population), and elementary kids were shipped over to the other town so that the school wouldn't have to be shut down. The shuttle bus carried the kids back and forth, and was usually twenty minutes later at the high school after the final bell had rung.

Mechanically, she slipped some homework in her bag: trig, her informative speech on cults, and some very interesting news articles she had found on the Internet. The last one wasn't homework, but for some reason, she had looked up InuYasha's name and had found out more information on him then she expected, and so was taking it upon herself to investigate further into the matter. She hated it when she didn't know a secret. She was nosy by nature and she couldn't help but be so; and either someone was with her or they got out of the way when she was in a snooping mood.

"Hey, Kagome." She didn't turn around. She knew who it was and she wished he would go away, go away and never bother her again. Maybe she should take a restraining order. She had better things to do then to be harassed by him. He never waited for her to answer, and went straight onto talking. "We have a game Saturday night, the Snowball is after, and I know you don't have a date, so I was thinking you need to go with me."

Oh, he was subtle, so subtle that she couldn't have seen that coming anytime soon. He was as subtle as a fucking bus crashing into a school. God he was a _dumbass_.

"Kouga," she began, "I know all about the dance, but you shouldn't assume that I don't have a date." She faced the cocky youth. He was tall and muscular, and an amazing point guard for the Wildfire team. But, there was a wolfish appearance about him, with somewhat pointed ears, jet black hair, and piercing blue eyes. He made ladies swoon whenever he gave a dazzling smile, and for some reason, that smile almost appalled Kagome. He made her uneasy. "I'm so sorry to disappoint you, but I _am _going with somebody." She had to say something, anything to get him off her back. Hell, she'd even take Miroku. He was a safe choice and he'd probably be pissing Sango off the whole night anyways, but at least he'd protect her.

His cockiness left him almost immediately, and it was replaced with disbelief and anger. He grabbed her wrist and began to squeeze it. "_What_?"

She tried to squirm out of his grip and found that it was useless. "Kouga…my hand. You're hurting my _hand_." He didn't let go and she struggled, desperately whishing someone would save her from this unpleasantness. This was another reason why he appalled her. He had a wickedly fierce temper that sprang up at any moment, something that was not to trust in the least bit. The skin he had a hold of would most likely blossom into a nice, purple and blue bruise, a testimony of how abusive he could become.

"Hey, wolfy!" They turned their heads to see InuYasha standing in the hallway, violet eyes flaring, a horrible pissed off look on his face. Her stomach did flip-flops as he approached them. Why was it doing that? Kouga let go of Kagome's hand and shoved her behind him. "I don't think that she appreciates your actions." Her heart began to beat faster as his gaze penetrated hers and a blush rose to her face. She tried to bite down her smile. "Instead of being such a prick, you could have asked nicely." His knuckles cracked in the empty hallway ominously. "I have a feeling you don't have the mental capacity to know any better."

Kouga's eyes narrowed. "_What_ did you just call me?"

Kagome sidled away from Kouga and slowly made her way to InuYasha's side. He arched an eyebrow at her actions, but never said anything, only narrowed his gaze towards this Kouga person. He hated jocks and it was his lucky day that he was in a horrible mood. "You heard me. I called you a _prick_. Now, why don't you walk the other way and we forget this whole thing ever happened?"

"You!" Kouga instantly lost his temper and leapt for InuYasha. The jock's hand balled into a fist, right onto a collision course with the violet eyed youth's face. However, the fist never connected with solidity, only swung wildly through the air. InuYasha was by his side in the blink of an eye and Kouga turned his head just in time to receive an elbow square in the face. A crunch could be heard, bones not breaking, but close. He fell to the ground, the back of his head smashing against the tiled floor and bringing stars into his vision. "Shit!"

He jumped up and charged for InuYasha again, but came to a screeching halt as Kagome put herself between the two young men, anger and disgust for Kouga written on her face. She shook her head defiantly, holding her ground, surprising the other two. She wagged her finger at him menacingly.

"How dare you try to hurt somebody like that!" she scolded Kouga. InuYasha nodded in agreement, a smirk on his face.

Kouga instantly tried to defend himself. "Hurt somebody?" he shrieked loudly. He pointed to his nose. "Look at what the cocky little bastard did to me. He almost broke my fucking nose!"

Desperation entered her. The two youths were near to ripping each other's throats out. She could easily see a primal fight between the two: dog versus wolf, the clever versus the moron, and dashing versus wicked. If the tension wasn't so thick, she would have started up some sort of creepy song to fit the mood, like the _Jaws_ theme song. Yes! That would have been perfect, but wait! There was no time for such silly thoughts and she had to take action…_now_. If not, she might have to deal with the police or the principal and that was the last thing she wanted. She and the principal were on bad terms. The police were never much better, and when it came down to it, sports were always the most important thing in a small town.

"Don't hurt my date!" she practically screamed, flinging herself onto an astonished InuYasha. She realized she had made a mistake, a terrible mistake, but there was no going back now. Hopefully the boy was smart enough to play along. A blush covered her face. "Kouga! Have you no _shame_?" Oh, she was in deep shit now.

All thoughts stopped. If there had been people in the hallway, they would have stopped too, and would have faced her, but luckily enough, she was spared from the horrible embarrassment of it all. Then again, with the way Kouga was staring and with the astonished look on InuYasha's face, she felt she was far away from safety.

Dead silence reigned.

And then, InuYasha whispered so only she could hear, "Can I talk to you for a moment?" He didn't wait for an answer and unceremoniously picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She pounded her surprisingly strong fists against his backside, demanding he put her down, and he walked briskly down the hallway. He took a right turn, the sounds of the band room hitting them, a girl practicing with the music teacher, her voice hitting a high A, just a little too high. They both winced at the assault on their ears, but he continued to walk, straight past the band room so he didn't have to hear the singer. Then, he turned down another hallway, this one leading backstage where the drama department usually had their practices. When it was too dark for her to see, he set her down, her back sliding up against the uneven wall, her t-shirt's fibers unraveling just a little at the harshness of the backdrop. His hand slammed up beside her head against the wall, causing her heart to beat unnervingly fast. Would he hit her, insult her, _kiss_ her? Wait, why in all the world would he do the last one? "Why did you say something like that? There is no way in hell I'm going to that dance! I hate those fucking _jocks_."

She had a feeling he might say something like that, but she silently thanked him for the fact that he took her to a more private place to do so. But still, she was in a tight spot, and now she needed his help. How could one get a boy to cooperate with a silly plan like this?

"I'll give you fifty bucks," she finally said.

"Deal." That had been surprisingly easy, but after all, money did make the world go round. She just hoped it was enough to keep his temper down. She didn't have _that_ much money. "There's just one thing I don't do, and that's kissing."

Her jaw dropped open, astonished that he would say such a thing. But then, she became angry and there was _no_ wayin hell she would let him get by with saying something like that, even if she did find him _somewhat_ good-looking. "Why did you think I wanted you to kiss me? Sorry, but I'm sure I could get someone much more attractive to do it, and for free. I'm not going to let a temperamental, over egocentric person like you do that to me."

"Oh, so you'd let someone like Kouga make a move on you?" Oooo! What was with this guy? "Of course, I might do it…but it'd cost you."

"Whoa, sit boy!" The mother of all blushes rose to her face. Why had she said something like that? Oh shit she was in deep and she couldn't see a damn thing, making the situation all the more intense. "I…I can't believe how perverted you are!" Her hand came up and the sound it made was a clear indicator she hit some part of his body, preferably his face. "Later, animal!"

Not waiting for an answer, she left him with the hopes that his pride was wounded. She briskly walked down the hallway and out of the school through the back door into the parking lot. Screw going back for her things. She wasn't going to chance running into Kouga or InuYasha. She'd just drive up front and wait for the shuttle bus that was carrying her little brother.

But…wait a minute.

Looking around the parking lot, she could see that Miroku had already taken the pickup, and he had probably taken Souta as well. She was stuck in town, with no way of getting to the ranch that was ten miles away.

"Miroku," she muttered, "I am going to _kill _you!" The words "kill you" echoed throughout the empty parking lot. Birds flew away in fear. Nothing was worse than Kagome's temper.

**xxxx**

"Uh…Miroku," Souta said. "Shouldn't we go back and get Kagome? She doesn't have a ride home."

Miroku shook his head and turned on the radio. While he normally hated listening to pre-packaged corporate bubble gum, Norah Jones was singing with her beautifully rusty voice. As long as it didn't change to rap or some form of preppy pop, he'd be happy, and Souta seemed to like it too. The young boy was busy pretending to drum along to the song. Miroku smiled and struck up his own beat as he drove along the road.

He knew that Kagome would probably kill him (in fact, moments ago, he got the oddest sensation that she was screaming in the back parking lot), but he didn't care. After all, she never went out anymore, and this was a perfect excuse to get with some of her friends. He and Souta would do the chores and then go over to his place to see Sweat Pea. Souta needed some of his own distractions. The boy had been traumatized ever since Gramps had died and couldn't seem to get over it. He may have acted cheery, but often times, Miroku would catch him staring into nothingness, the beginnings of tears in his eyes. As a cousin, it was his duty to take care of family. Kagome was too busy with the ranch and was near to killing herself from the effort. The girl couldn't take much more. She needed a hand that could help _all_ the time, and while he tried to help out whenever possible, he had too much to do at his own place.

He _had_ to do something. He couldn't just sit by and watch his dad's sister, Keiko, and her children fall apart. Keiko may have been acting like nothing was wrong, but she was always away so she didn't have to stay at home. After her husband died, she had Gramps, but when he died, she barely had anything and no matter how hard Souta tried, he couldn't help fill the voids. He was too young, and just couldn't help out at all. Until he was older, he was stuck watching his sister breaking her back, getting covered in grease, and becoming a grown up before truly getting to live life.

His fingers stopped drumming and he looked at the young boy next to him, still lost in his own world of drumming. The clink of blue opals distracted his attention from the youth and turned it to his own hand, shrouded in the ornamental glove. He frowned slightly, and as usual, felt a slight twinge, as if the pain of the original wound was still there. It was as if he could still see the blood, the metal spike sticking out of his hand. It was as if he was all alone again, abandoned in the middle of nowhere as the people who had assaulted him ran off to leave him there to rot under the burning sun. It was so vivid that he thought he could feel the crushing metal of an old vehicle on top of him. It was so vivid he thought he could feel the dirt grinding into his back.

He ran away from his personal nightmares by shaking his head briskly.

Those _bastards_…and yet…he never went to the police, didn't even try. Of course, he knew if he did, something much _worse_ would have happened. He was so sure of it.

Could he do something for someone when his _own_ life was so screwed up?

Another look at Souta…He knew the answer, but why did he question himself in the first place?

He'd do _anything_ for them, no matter the consequences.

**xxxx**

_End Chapter_

**xxxx**

Author's Notes: Another day another chapter. I love reviews so I always ask for them as usual, and you all know that I reply to them, no matter what. If there are any questions I stress they be sent in the form of a PM. Well, I thank everyone for their support so far and hope you all keep reading. Until next time!


	3. Chapter Three

**xxxx**

_Chapter Three_

**xxxx**

"Sorry Kagome, but I can't give you a ride home until late," Yura said apologetically. "I have to work concessions at the girls' basketball tournament until the end. It might be around ten or so when I'm done."

Kagome shook her head, smiling. "Don't worry about it. I'll get a ride some other way."

"You sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I've got other people besides you," she joked.

Yura laughed. "Well, okay. Take care."

Of course she wasn't sure, but there wasn't any way she could tell one of her friends that. God there was a basketball game and everyone in school would go to cheer on the team. She wanted to get out of the middle of a nowhere town and go to the middle of nowhere. She wanted isolation for just ten minutes, just so she could scream, let out all of her frustrations, run until she couldn't run no more and nobody would be staring at her. She wanted to get away from it all…No. That's not what she really wanted. She wanted someone to hold her and say everything was all right. She didn't want to be responsible for just one second, just wanted to be a teenager. _No_! She could _not_ let those thoughts invade her head. She had to be strong. She had to be an adult. She had to be something she wasn't.

She walked down the street, no destination in mind. The chill of the wind made her hug herself and curse not going back to the school, and even though she wanted to, she wasn't going to get her jacket or her school bag. Kouga was at basketball practice, and wouldn't get out until six or six thirty, but there was no way she wanted to chance an encounter with him…or_ InuYasha_. More than anything, she would like to avoid the new boy as if he was a contagious disease, but for some reason, she felt that would be impossible. It was like her sixth sense was trying to scream something at her, beating along the length of her spine.

She ignored it.

She stopped at a quaint little park with a gazebo located in it on the other side of the street from a few aged houses. One of them had an old International sitting outside. It was obviously used, but in great condition, and a beautiful, red color. She stared at the vehicle, admiring it. She always did have a love for old vehicles. She never really understood why a kid would want a brand new little car when they could have a really cool, old one that made a beautiful sound. She wished for something like that, to even have a ride in it once or twice. She gave a big sigh.

"I never took _you_ for the type to mope around," a deep, wonderfully rough voice said. She looked up and blushed deeply, her jaw hanging open a little in complete shock. He leaned against the post of the gazebo nonchalantly; his face set into what she guessed was an ever-present scowl. "I heard there was a basketball game tonight. What are you doing here? Don't you have _people_ to hang with?"

Her blood began to boil. What was wrong with this guy? Why was he always so…so…so hostile? Why couldn't he just be plain _nice_?

"What is your problem?" she asked angrily, standing up so that she could add a little more height to her advantage, although she only made it up to his shoulder. Still, when she stood at her fullest, she became an imposing figure. Maybe that was her personality. Yeah, it was definitely that. "Do enjoy being a jerky jerk, or did it happen sometime in your childhood when you fell on your head?" She jabbed a finger into his chest, poking him as hard as she could, making him step back a few times. "You. Are. Rude." With each word came a poke to emphasize her foul mood. She placed her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "Look, I'm sorry that I said I was going to the dance with you, but Kouga would've forced me to go with him. The guy's a psycho and you happened to come along. I said I'd pay you and I meant it." She bowed her head, hiding the shameful blush on her face. "Really…I am sorry. Please forgive me."

The surprise showed on his face, a blush coming up to his own make things even worse. He looked away and stammered, "Th-there's no need to be acting like that. Sorry I was a…" He frowned. "A _jerky_ jerk? You had to call me that? I know I probably deserved some name calling, but…jerky jerk? I mean, couldn't you think of something just a little bit better?"

"I couldn't think of anything else, okay?" she shouted. "But you were a jerk!"

"And you're just pushy!" he shot back. The anger and sparks were beginning to rise between them. They both balled their hands into fists at their sides. If they hadn't been members of the opposite sex, they might have started to exchange blows. "My God! You don't learn a damn thing, don't you? I was _trying _to be nice to you. Couldn't you see that?"

"You agreed to be my date for fifty bucks. You don't have any morals!"

"_You_ don't have any morals. Who in their right mind pays someone money to take them to a dance?"

"Lots of people!"

"Name one."

"Yura. She did it last year."

"Who's Yura?"

"A friend."

He gripped the sides of his head with his hand, as if he were trying to contain some sort of mounting pressure. "Why the hell am I having this conversation with you?" He kicked a can and it flew down the street, bouncing noisily until it came to a stop. The sound was deafening to them, but no one came out to investigate. They both breathed a sigh of relief. InuYasha turned back to Kagome to continue his ranting. "This is a fucking waste of time!" He threw his hands up into the air as a sign of defeat. "I gotta go find a job. This town is a fucking _wasteland_ and I gotta drive an hour just to make some decent cash."

He began to stomp off, but something stopped him. Actually, Kagome stopped him by softly yanking on his leather jacket that he wore. "You need a job?" It was barely a whisper, but his super sensitive ears picked up the words. "What kind of job do you need?" She had finally calmed down, and he truly appreciated it. He always got so mad and it was hard for him to stop until the other one did first.

"I don't know. I just need something that pays." He shrugged his shoulders. "I came from the west coast and I had a job down at the docks, so I know what labor is, but all that's here is being a dish pig and that doesn't pay nearly enough. I can't do minimum wage right now."

"Well…" He saw a certain kind of glint forming in her eyes, almost as if she were _scheming_. Why did he have a feeling that she had an idea that could go oh so utterly wrong? "I have a job for you, at least, I'm pretty sure my Mom would love it." She clapped her hands together excitedly, the glint in her eyes stronger than ever. "All I need is a ride home!"

"Um…okay?" That was all he could say before she turned into a bright, talkative (very talkative), all around happy teenager. "What have I gotten myself into?" he muttered as he walked her to his International that sat outside an old house. He almost wanted to groan when she began to admire the customization and the make of the model. "At least she isn't a cheerleader…"

**xxxx**

An enthusiastic Souta slowly led the colt around the corral. The creature, used to the boy since its birth, did not buck or shy away from the lead rope. Sweet Pea bobbed her head in time with her footsteps while Souta bounced along in front of her. Miroku sat along the top part of the wooden fence, his elbows resting on his knees. The door to his feed pickup was opened so he and Souta could hear the sounds of The Beatles as they halter broke Sweat Pea. Well, it was mostly Souta doing the work while Miroku _supervised_, but maybe that's because the creature was about the nicest thing he had to work with in a long time.

"Hey, Miroku!" Souta called.

"What?"

"Why don't we put the saddle on her tonight?"

He shook his head, chuckling. Was he _that_ enthusiastic when he was younger? Could he _never_ wait to tame an animal when he first got it? "Sorry kiddo, but you know we can't do that." The look on the poor boy's face was just heartbreaking to him, but he knew that he couldn't give on this situation. You always had to be careful around horses, always be respectful, unless you wanted to get hurt. "We need to take it slow with her. I know she's taking well to the halter." At this point, he leapt off the fence, making Sweet Pea jump nervously He gave a knowing smile. "See?" He slowly walked over to the colt and gently rubbed her body, his sure hands knowing what touches would make her nervous, what would make her calm. "You can never be too sure around horses. They're a little bit like people." His right hand ran along the length of her body as he walked behind her, letting her know that he was in her blind spot and she stood still, not kicking out as if he would have walked behind her without contact. That was one of the first things he learned: always let the animal know where you are. Body contact always gave them some comfort. "She still gets a little skittish around sudden movements. I don't think she'd take too well around something that has a lot of straps. We should do some other things around her that will make her less likely to jump or go wild."

"Okay!" The boy took things so seriously. Horses were a passion for the child. He understood that. When you wanted something so badly it hurt, you'd go to the ends of the _world_ for it. That's how he felt about some things: the ranch he'd inherit one day, Souta, his other beloved cousin Kagome who acted so strong when she was about to break, and one other thing he wasn't too willing to admit yet. "It's getting a little late. Shouldn't we go and do some chores at home? I know sis got some hay bales last night, but she didn't put them away. She hasn't been finishing stuff lately. Is something wrong?"

Miroku ruffled the youth's hair affectionately. "Nothing's wrong. Your sister's just a little tired, so we should be men and help her out, k?"

"Yeah!"

They took the halter off of Sweet Pea and released her from the corral. She ran off at a canter, her dark mane and tail streaming behind her as if they were made of water. She nickered loudly so that the rest of the herd stopped their grazing to look at her. She happily joined them, her head bobbing up and down in a playful manner; and suddenly, they all got up and galloped off to a different part of the pasture. Their muscles rippled under their skin and their run was so graceful that many were only less than half a foot apart. It was a mass of hair and hooves, mixing together in a myriad of browns, whites, roans, and so many other colors. The sight was enchanting, worthy of taking a person's breath away.

That was what they lived for.

"Well, let's get started on that hay before Kagome comes home." He got into the driver's seat and started the feed pickup. Souta hopped into the passenger's side. "I hope she'll forget being angry at me and have some fun tonight." He gave a lewd wink to the younger boy. "Who knows? Maybe she won't even want to come home."

It took Souta a few moments to understand, but when he did, the disgust on his face couldn't be contained. "Gross, Miroku! No one likes my sister. She's…a _girl_! Besides," he crossed his arms defiantly, "who is there in town that's worth keeping? No one's good enough for her and it's not the _Kouga_, that's for sure."

Miroku had to stop the vehicle for a moment. He could barely breathe from the laughter that attacked his lungs. Luckily, he was able to stop and start driving again. "Oh Souta," he said with mirth. "I don't think there's anyone worthy of Kagome's affection, especially Kouga. That guy doesn't understand the word "no" and it's going to come back and bite him in the ass someday."

**xxxx**

"Let me get this straight." InuYasha turned off the pavement and onto a gravel road that led to Kagome's quaint home. "You need a ranch hand and your family is willing to eight hundred a month _and_ a place to crash?" He shook his head, as if it were impossible. "What's the catch? Who do I have to kill?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You don't kill anyone. Mom's had the ad out for a while, but all the other ranches have hired out any possible help because they know I'm the only one that runs this place. Besides, we're wasting money to have the little house heated and cooled every year. It'd be nice to have someone out there." She wagged a finger at him. "Now it won't be easy work. I have several miles of fence that need fixing, cows moved, and the usual odds and ends before the snow comes, and _that_ could be any day now." She looked out the window, her gaze serious. "I'm surprised it's been so warm lately, but I can't handle another winter by myself. Mom's never home. Souta's too young to help out. Miroku has to take care of his own place. It's just too much for me, so it's understandable I need help, right?" She looked at him, unshed tears in her eyes; he began to squirm. He could never handle crying. "If I was stronger, I could do it by myself. It's just…well…I'm not. I can't do it all. Souta says I'm gonna kill myself when I turn twenty. I wonder if he's sometimes." She put a smile on her face. "But if you're here, we can get this place going just a bit more. Mom won't care and Souta would just love to have another guy around the house." He stopped outside her house. The yard was lush, green. The house was well kept. There were cows grazing in the distance with a few horses. It was kind of a small ranch, but it was nice. "So, what do you say? You think you're up to it?"

He let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes. He scratched his head thoughtfully and the action reminded her of a dog scratching its neck. She suppressed the giggle rising in her throat. "I guess so. I can probably give my landowner two weeks notice and then I won't have to pay anymore rent." He gazed at her, as if he were trying to read his thoughts. All he could see was that she wasn't kidding. "Are the utilities paid for?" She nodded. "What about food and clothes?"

"You'll eat with us and I can wash your clothes." She got out of the International and motioned for him to follow. He got out as well, closing the pick up door behind him. A cat ran out to great him. It was a little heavier than most, with brown and white fur. It held a sort of _smirk_ on its face as it came out and twirled around InuYasha's legs. Kagome gave a small laugh. "Oh, that's Buyo. He's an outdoor cat. He keeps the mice away, and he's really friendly too." Buyo purred and stood up on his hind legs so that InuYasha was forced to pick him up. The cat rubbed against his face, still purring loudly. "I think he likes you. We can go inside and I'll get some supper started." The cat leaped off of him and hit the ground on all fours, walking off at a leisurely pace. "I'll give you a tour of the house."

"You said you had a brother, right?" he asked.

"Uh-huh. His name is Souta."

"Well, where did _he_ run off to?" They entered the house. He was impressed. It was big enough to hold a family of three. Everything was neat and kept in order. He remembered when he had a house like this. Hell, it had been even bigger than this and was kept meticulously clean by a maid. He never really talked with his family. His mother had died when he was young and his father was always busy. His half brother had always taken care of him, but no matter what, it always seemed he was _alone_. This house, though, wasn't like his in that sense. It was small, yes, but it held the love of a family. "Are you and your brother close?" She nodded her head as she pulled out a cookbook and a large frying pan. He made his way around the room, looking at some of the pictures: a baby Souta with a young Kagome and woman who must be her mother, one with a little Souta and an old man, another one with and older Kagome and Miroku who held her in an affectionate hug, and many more. Someone had taken pictures, wanted to show off their family that was their pride and joy. "So, it's just you, Souta, and your mom?"

"Yeah," she answered. "Dad died when Souta was only a year old. Gramps used to live with us, but he died of a heart attack about six months ago. It was really hard on Mom." She pulled a package of chicken and some vegetable oil, with many other ingredients and set them on the counter. She tied an apron around her waist, and for some reason, this domestic side of Kagome comforted InuYasha. "She likes to go on business trips a lot, so I've got to do the ranch and the house." She poured some things into a bowl and began to whisk them. "That's why I'm hiring you. I asked Mom about a month back if I could and she said if I found someone that I could go on ahead and take care of all the legalities." She gave a soft laugh, almost a sarcastic one. "She doesn't even really exist around here anymore. She's just as much a memory as Gramps is." She stopped whisking the sauce and looked to him sadly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you this stuff." She began whisking harder, so hard that the whisk was actually bending under her pressure.

"It's fine." The _whisk_ was worrying him. He knew that if it snapped off, there could be a problem or two. He let his breath out when she stopped whisking, but he inhaled sharply when he saw that she decided to go at some poor vegetables with a cleaver. Her chopping was fast and rhythmic. He hoped she wouldn't get off beat. "I know what it's like to have a bad family. I know what it's like to have a hard life." He crossed his arms and stared down at his boots as if they had just _appeared_ there. "That's why you move away sometimes, to get away from the bad stuff. You want to move so far away that no one's ever heard of you." His hand now had taken some interest from him. He examined it as if it were an alien creature of some kind. "I guess that's how I ended up here. No one knows a damn thing about me. I like it that way."

"It sounds nice."

"But you're lucky." He came up behind her and he felt the tension rise in her. Her chopping had stopped for a moment, only to resume its furious pace again. "You have people that love you. You have a place to call home. You have men falling for you left and right." On the last remark the knife slipped and she let out a hiss as she dropped the blade and turned around to get to the bathroom for a band-aid, but he stopped her. His violet eyes bore into her wide, gray ones. He gingerly took her hand and examined her finger. "You're _also_ bleeding." He took out a handkerchief and tore a strip off of it and wrapped it around the wounded digit. His eyes never left hers as he expertly wrapped up the cut. She felt a blush rise to her face. "You should be careful when you cook."

They stared at each other that way for what seemed eternity. All that was known was the touching of their hands and hearts beating.

"Kagome! We're hooommmeee!" Souta sang as he burst into the house, a blasé Miroku behind him. "Hey sis! I'm starving. What's taking you…so…long?" His head went to one side as he observed a blushing Kagome frantically preparing food while a strange guy sat at the kitchen table with an equally large blush on his face, strumming his fingers in annoyance. "Hello!" Souta walked over to they guy. "I'm Souta Michaels. I'm the man of the house. What's your name?"

"InuYasha," he grumbled.

"Well, if it isn't the new kid?" Miroku pointed out. "It's nice to see you again. What're you doing here, though?"

"Oh, h-he's the new hired man!" Kagome stammered. She flung some chicken into the frying pan and it sizzled loudly. She wiped her hands on her apron. "He'll be living in the house next door. We might need your help to get his stuff out here. Is that okay?"

Miroku shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind. We can do that tomorrow after school since everyone will be getting ready for the Snowball."

"Thank you _so_ much Miroku!" She ran over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You're the nicest man I've _ever_ known."

"Well," he said, happily rubbing the spot where she kissed him, "one does what one can."

"And one pervert enjoys the feel of his cousin a little too much," InuYasha grumbled.

"What was that?" she asked angrily.

"Nothing!" he replied. He felt a pair of eyes on him and looked to see Souta staring up at him with stars in his eyes. "What're you looking at?" he sneered. The boy didn't answer him and InuYasha's nerves first broke and he turned away from the boy. "You shouldn't stare. You look like an idiot when you do it." He looked back and saw that they boy was nodding enthusiastically at him. "Well? Stop staring at me." He did, but would glance back at InuYasha once every ten seconds or so. "Oh ferchrissake! What the hell is _wrong_ with you? You _queer_ or something?"

"It's called admiring," Miroku butted in. "He's admiring you like he would a superhero, although I don't see much about you to admire in the first place." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it's because you're reckless, or stupid? Or could it be you have no _class_ whatsoever?"

"You stay outta this ya pervert!" InuYasha said as he leapt out of his chair. He pointed to the other man. "You got no _right_ to be making fun of me when I see you feeling up your cousin!"

"Disgusting!" he exclaimed. "How could I _feel up_ my beloved Kagome? I have never dreamed of touching her in any way outside of brotherly love. She's like a sister to me." A glint came to his eyes. "Besides, you're just jealous that I received a form of affection from her while you get nothing." A lecherous grin appeared on his face. "I'm not perverted. You're just _jealous_."

"And that means supper is ready!" Kagome walked between the two, holding out a very hot frying pan that she set on a hotplate located on the table. The Cambodian inspired dish sizzled invitingly and the aroma it gave off was enchanting. Souta set down plates, silverware, and glasses for four. She gave a big smile that clearly said for them to stop fighting. "What are we waiting for? Let's eat!"

That was all that was needed to stop their quarrelling. Outside the house was peaceful. The night air was still and crickets chirped peacefully.

There came a commotion.

"Hey! I was going for that last piece! It's mine!"

"But I got to it first, therefore, it is mine."

Let us just say that the "conversation" went downhill from there and Kagome was fortunate she lived out in such a remote place or she was sure that the police would have come. But no matter how stressful supper was, she was glad for the noise. Everyone was happy and they were all acting like one, big, happy family. Things couldn't be more perfect, and Miroku realized this as he looked over at Kagome's hand and saw a piece of clothe wrapped around her finger. That same kind of cloth was sticking out of InuYasha's pocket.

Maybe life could get better after all.

**xxxx**

End Chapter

**xxxx**

Author's Notes: Wow. Finished. This one's bit longer than the others, but I had to get something going. I hope nobody minds that. Anyways, I ask that you give reviews, because I am sure to respond to them! Also, I stress that questions should be sent in the form of a PM. I prefer comments, praise, and criticism in the review. Well, that's all I have to say. I hope you stay for chapter four. Until next time!


	4. Chapter Four

**xxxx**

_Chapter Four_

**xxxx**

"No Mom, I'm not kidding." Kagome rolled her eyes as she argued over the phone with her mother who was hundreds of miles away at the moment. It was amazing what technology did, although she wasn't necessarily appreciating it at the moment. "Yeah, I got a hired man. What's the big deal?" There was a moment of silence as she listened to her mother's response. "No, I didn't go higher or lower for the price. He accepted it right away." A pause. "Mom! He's my age, and no, I'm not having sex with him. What kind of girl do you think I am?" Another pause. "Well, why don't we keep him for a while, or at least until we sell the cattle next year when September ends?" Pause. "He's fine. There's nothing wrong and besides…I've got Souta and Miroku backing me up on this. We'll all make sure nothing bad happens, so just go back to the conference and we'll manage just fine. Everything's all right, there's nothing to worry about. Have some fun while you're out there." There was one last pause. "Okay, Mom. I love you too. Bye."

The smile that had been on her face as she conversed with her mother slowly dwindled. She sighed and rubbed her eyes in vexation.

"Kagome!" The quiet of her bedroom was shattered as Souta came barging in, his arms flung out wide and one the biggest grins she had ever seen was plastered on his face. Miroku was close behind, but didn't make as grand of an entrance as his cousin and InuYasha was behind him, with a scowl she had come to known in the past day and a half that it was his customary expression. "Guess what?" The young boy asked excitedly. His joy could barely be contained. "We got all of InuYasha's stuff moved in and the place looks great, but that isn't the best part." He didn't even wait, just rambled on in his enthusiasm. "Miroku said he'd spend the night! Isn't that just great?"

She shrugged her shoulders, forcing another smile onto her face. She had never seen her brother so…_happy_. It was good to see the young boy smiling so much in such a short amount of time. It was _normal_ for a boy his age to be so energetic. It seemed so natural.

_Normal_.

"Well, Miroku should spend the night outside with the cat," InuYasha snorted. He glared at the young man with the glower that had become a permanent part of his face it seemed. Miroku merely gave a carefree smile. "I do not trust you around Kagome." Miroku only smiled all the wider, lifting his hands up as if to show that he was not a threat, which was true since he did care for Kagome in the least incestuous way possible. For some reason, InuYasha could not seem to get that through his thick skull. "Stop that."

"Stop what?" Miroku looked to be the epitome of innocence.

"You know what."

"Actually," Miroku said, still with his act of innocence, "I have no idea what you speak of, but for some reason, I can't get the thought out of my head that you might be jealous of me."

"I'm not jealous, ya fucking perv!"

"InuYasha!" It came out as an indignant gasp from Kagome. She immediately bent down and covered Souta's ears and he then began to struggle. He was a curious child after all and he'd been meaning to ask a _lot _of questions lately, ones that would most likely be embarrassing. "There is a kid in this room and the one rule I'd like to start now is no cussing. He tends to copy those he likes and sadly…" She gave InuYasha the look, the one that usually stopped grown men in their tracks and cower in fear, and right now, InuYasha was doing just that. "He seems to think you're really cool, but the last thing I need is a meeting with his teacher because _someone_ can't keep their mouth shut."

"_My_ mouth shut?" he yelled in disbelief. He pointed an accusing finger at Miroku who merely put his hands into his pocket and rocked back and forth on his heels as he whistled a jaunty little tune. "Tell the fucking pervert to keep his hands offa you!" As soon as the words leaked from his mouth, the regret was instantly on his face, followed by a _very_ large, very red blush, and he turned and walked, no, more of ran out of the room.

Miroku could barely keep the grin off his face as he asked, "I wonder what that was all about?"

Kagome could only shake her head and sigh.

Maybe hiring such a guy hadn't been a good idea after all, but seeing Souta's happiness, his enthusiasm, she realized that InuYasha might have been the best thing for the boy in a long time. If it meant her brother not crying anymore, she _might_ just be willing to sacrifice a couple more hours of sleep. After all, her well being wasn't important when it came to her family. She sacrificed everything she could for them, and she always would.

**xxxx**

Sango sat on the steps outside the high school and took a deep breath of the clean night air. Being a cheerleader meant that she had to be social, and being social meant setting the school gym up for one of the most popular dances of the year, the Snowball. That meant she stayed after cheerleading practice, told people where decorations went, and painted until her hand had locked up from grasping a paintbrush so long; needless to say, it was tiring, it meant having to talk to people that were as air-headed as they were platinum blonde, and it was annoying. She hated being a cheerleader, but she knew why she had joined, because playing basketball was out of the question since the scar on her back prevented her from doing any activities that involved so much jostling, and she didn't want to end up on the bottom of the social ladder like a _certain_ perverted horse rancher was. The last choice had been cheerleading, because _everybody_ in the Godforsaken town was a jock, and being involved with sports in any way guaranteed instant popularity.

Wow. That was indeed _shallow_.

The sounds of people having a good time inside reached her ears and she sighed. She sighed for the fact she wasn't like them. She sighed for the fact that she didn't like them. She sighed for the fact that she was pretending to be like them and like them in the first place when it was far from the truth. The truth was she despised them all because they were a bunch of whores, drama queens, and self-centered pretty people. They pretended their lives were perfect and it always seemed as if _nothing_ could hurt them. They were invincible. They were _perfect_, and she hated them for being so damn _deceiving_ because more than anything else, she hated a liar.

Still, she hung out with them, acted as if they were best friends, and that was why she also hated herself. She couldn't bear being an outcast, but she could enjoy being miserable within, as long as she was happy and smiling on the outer surface. Maybe she was just as bad as those she hated, and many times she thought of being at the bottom, along with that Miroku and his quiet cousin Kagome who always seemed to be daydreaming, and now…there was that InuYasha kid. At least they didn't pretend to hide who they were. They were comfortable being themselves.

That Miroku…he never did care if anyone caught him staring at him or her, and the girls swooned every time he looked their way because he was regulation mystery "hottie." He would just give a lewd wink and a grin and then he'd be on his way; then the boys that would play football and basketball would ambush him and then proceed to beat the crap out of him. Sure, he'd defend himself and do a really good job at it too, but they'd always give him enough bruises to wipe that smile off his face. She also knew that those jocks did whatever had happened to his right hand, the one with the decorated gloves that had a string of blue opals on it. He had skipped school for a week, came back with a big bandage, and then the glove immediately replaced it and she hadn't seen him without it since.

What could they have done to him to make him wear it _all the time_?

She didn't have answers to such questions.

Hell, she shouldn't have been thinking of him in the first place, but for some reason, he was always on her mind when she least expected it. Somebody would ask her if a certain skirt looked good on them and she'd be wondering what he was doing at that moment.

What was _wrong_ with her? Why would she think about a perverted man who wore a weird glove and just smiled all the time about nothing? Why would she think about the one guy in school who wasn't worth giving the time of day? Why would she think about him and wonder about what he did, where he was, or how he felt? Why did she think such things and didn't mind thinking those things? Why did it make her heart race and make her stomach do flip-flops whenever she saw him or thought about him?

Yes indeed…what _was_ wrong with her?

She got up and dusted her jeans off before she opened the door and went into the school. It wasn't worth pondering and at the moment, she had to help put up the giant disco ball that everyone was looking forward to. Yes, she just didn't have time to think about Miroku Michaels and his soft looking black hair and his gorgeous, dark violet eyes and his supple but definitely masculine—No! She was not supposed to be _thinking _about him in any way, shape or form.

She just wouldn't.

She _couldn't_, and with that last consideration, she entered the gym and went about the task of helping everyone out, keeping as busy as possible so her mind wouldn't wander. Sometimes cheerleading was a good thing and it was at times like these she was a little bit grateful of it.

**xxxx**

"I made you guys some popcorn." Kagome grinned at the sight before her. The boys had decided to spend the night in the main house, the reason being that InuYasha complained about a little boy and a pervert invading his privacy, so they had camped out in the living room. A movie had been put in, _Shrek_, if she remembered properly; since it had been late when they started it, Souta hadn't been able to keep awake and was currently curled up next to Miroku who had also fallen asleep. They were both on the floor while InuYasha was dozing on the couch. "You guys." She chuckled and shook her head as she set the bowl of popcorn on the floor and picked up the remote to set the timer so that it would turn the satellite on after the movie was over with. Who knew? Maybe they would wake up for bits at a time and it was always comforting for her when the television didn't have any white noise. "But I tell you what…I can't believe _you _didn't last, InuYasha." She placed a blanket over Miroku and Souta, kissing the young boy on the top of his head affectionately. He didn't stir. "It's better than fighting, I guess."

She picked up another blanket and draped it over him. Unconsciously, she tucked him in, as she was used to doing with Souta, and then got up to go away. She had reached the doorway when she heard a deep, gruff voice say, "I'm not sleeping." She tried to stop her rapidly beating heart and was thankful that the room was dark so he couldn't see the blush on her face. She could hear him shifting and then getting up, his bare feet slapping softly against the wood flooring. "I can't sleep. Never."

"Never say never," she murmured. Taking a deep breath, she turned around, prepared with a sarcastic remark, but the man before her stole the words right out of her mouth with his devastating good looks. His hair had been tousled by sleep so that it curled around his face, enhancing his sensuous lips and large, violet eyes that seemed to hold a glow. He had also taken his shirt off for the night. Well, all the guys had; they had kicked her out of the living room because Souta requested that it was boy's night only. And now…now she was wishing that it hadn't happened, because this man before her had a gorgeous body, tanned from years on the coast, muscled from all the labor he had done. He was amazing and now she was suddenly aware of her inadequate sleepwear that consisted of a large t-shirt that skimmed just along her thighs. "I'm guessing you suffer from insomnia. Am I right?"

He walked past her, heading into the kitchen. "Sort of." He opened the fridge and winced at the harsh light. She couldn't help but admit how striking he was like that, and that hair! Why didn't he keep it down more often? "It started about three years ago when—" He stopped himself, shaking his head and giving a small, ironical laugh. That laugh sent shivers down her spine and she looked down at her toes, wriggling them on the cold tiles. "It doesn't matter. All that really matters is I can't _sleep_." He pulled a Mountain Dew out of the fridge, opened the can, and took a large swig from it. He wiped his mouth, eyeing her and she couldn't meet his gaze, not when he was looking so…so…_appealing_. "What about you? Why are you up now?"

"Well, I thought I'd make you guys a snack, but by the time I got there you were out of it, or at least I _thought_ you were." She shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno. I wake up in the middle of the night and I'll usually watch a movie or play a video game or check my e-mail. Not that there's much to check in the first place," she muttered low enough so that she was pretty sure she was the only one who could hear. She raised her voice again. "Souta is usually knocked out by eight-thirty or nine so I was surprised he stayed up this late and I know Miroku is probably tired from moving the furniture and doing my chores." She bit her bottom lip. "I just can't seem to finish anything lately. I can't understand _why_. I mean they're the same chores I've been doing since God knows when. Maybe it's cause of everything that's been happening lately." She looked back to him and saw that he had been in the motion of bringing the can to his mouth, but had stopped half way. "InuYasha?"

"Her," he whispered.

"What?"

"I didn't realize it, but you look kind of like _her_."

"Who's _her_?"

He took another swig. "No one." He walked until he was standing directly in front of her and InuYasha Kalligan noticed just how short Kagome Michaels was. "She's from a time I'd rather not remember. I'd just like to…to forget it _all_." His voice sounded bitter, but when he looked down at her, his expression softened she saw something in his eyes, and she didn't know what it was exactly. She wasn't sure if she _wanted _to know what it was. "And now…I have a job, thanks to you. I guess."

The silence was overwhelming, and it was all so much harder because he had to look absolutely breathtaking with the fridge door's light spilling onto him, accenting the curve of his jaw, the ripple of muscle. It just wasn't _fair_ and she had to break it because she found she couldn't trust herself around this boy. "Why don't you want Miroku touching me? He's my cousin. He's not going to do anything bad."

"N-no reason," he stammered, a crimson heat flowing up to his face. "He's just a pervert. I don't trust the bastard around _any_ girl." His eyes were serious now, and he inched closer to her. She backed up a little ways, but he followed her. "It's just…there's something about you. I can't place it, and damn it all if it's not frustrating."

Bodies. Warmth. Breathing. These things were painfully clear to her. She could feel his arm just brushing hers, his warmth barely caressing her skin, and his breath upon her forehead as he looked down at her. It made things lower in her body clench, respond, and she wanted to scream at the agony of it all. This was a man who she had hired to be her ranch hand. She promised her mother that there would be no romancing between them, and now…she acknowledged just how long it had been since she had been kissed, held, looked at like that. Actually, it had been never, and maybe that's why this was all so hard, because she had no experience, nothing to help her through this. "Oh my! Look at the time!" she exclaimed and lifted her wrist to her face as if she might be wearing a watch. Unfortunately, her hand bumped into his, the one holding the can of Mountain Dew, and the sugary drink went up into the air and down, and splattering on them as it fell to the floor. "Crap." She bent down to pick up the can, but he stopped her. "What are you doing? It's going to go everywhere if I don't clean it up."

"It's still a mess. You'll have to clean it up anyways. What difference will a couple of ounces make?" His voice was gruff, and it sent yet another shiver down her spine, this one slightly audible. She felt so embarrassed. "What's the matter? You cold?" She shook her head, and then he was there, horribly close to her ear, so close she wished that he just close that fraction of space instead of breathing on her like that. "Liar." Why was her body doing things she didn't want it to? Why was she reacting so strongly to him, and he wasn't even touching her! "You really are clumsy, aren't you?" His finger played with the edge of her t-shirt. "You should be more careful." The fabric inched up, slowly, so terribly slow. She gave a small gasp at it. Why was this happening? Why was she letting him do this? Why did she not care anymore? Why did she want him to touch her more, in different places and—"Kagome…"

The way he whispered her name was more than she could bear. She turned her head so that their lips were barely touching. She opened her mouth and half-moaned, half-said, "InuYasha." He leaned just a millimeter closer so that his teeth pulled at her lower lip and she heard a strange whimper come from the back of her throat. "InuYasha!" It was sort of a desperate cry and her fingers intertwined in his belt loops of his pants so that she could pull him closer. Their lips met and it felt so wonderful…

"Kagome, where'd you put _The Hills Have Eyes_? I wanna watch it and…" Miroku trailed off when he saw his cousin and InuYasha in a very compromising position. He pointed back towards the living room, taking a step back. "You know, I think I can find something to watch in there." He disappeared and the stillness that came afterwards was very awkward and very frustrating. She let out a sigh and pulled away, but then a hand of his reached out and gently cupped her face so that she was forced to stare into those indigo eyes. "I know where it's at now!" Miroku came strolling in again, barely hiding the grin that threatened to take over his entire face. InuYasha leapt away from Kagome like he had been burnt. "It's in your bedroom on the shelf." He winked at them. "Now don't get too caught up." He shook his head, still grinning. "Kids these days."

She waited until she could hear that her annoying cousin was out of the room and spoke. "I've got to clean this up." She got up and walked over to the sink and turned the water on. She thrust the sponge underneath and let it soak for a moment, then pulled it out and went back to the spot where _that_ mess had happened. "I hope it doesn't get all sticky now." She gave a small smile as she bent down again and grabbed the fallen can as her other hand used the sponge to wipe the floor spotless. She got up. InuYasha was still sitting on the floor. "There. All better now."

She threw the can away, rinsed out the sponge, and dried her hands. Everything was in order, everything was fine, and now it was time to go to bed. She walked to her bedroom and he stopped her, his large hand gripping her dainty wrist. "Where are you going?"

"To bed," was her reply.

"Why?"

"Because it's a school day tomorrow and I need to rest." She rubbed her eyes. She really was tired. That little…incident had drained her. "InuYasha, I don't know what happened just now, but I'm not the kind of girl that throws herself at anyone."

"I know. I respect you because of that."

"So what happened, it wasn't me." She bit her lip, and it was in the exact same spot where his teeth had grazed upon her flesh. Her breathing stopped for a moment, and that strange feeling in her body was back, where it was all clenched up and it was the equivalent of being on a roller coaster. She hated it and liked it at the same time. "I'm not like this, so I'm sorry for being so forward." She wanted to cry. Oh she felt so _humiliated_. Never before had she expected this to happen. And what happened…it had been her _first kiss_. Oh God no. She had kissed a boy she barely knew. "Goodnight, InuYasha." It had felt so good, so _right_. "See you in the morning." Then she walked as fast as she could to her room. She passed Miroku who had found the DVD and barely acknowledged him when he asked what was wrong. All she could think of was the kiss, the brief but beautiful kiss and she slammed the door shut behind her and sank to the floor, sobbing in anger. "How can you be so _stupid_?" She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at her school bag that was less than two feet from her. She unzipped it and pulled out the pages that had been printed from the Internet, the ones that talked about InuYasha. "Boy is found in water, unconscious and bleeding from multiple wounds, some to the head and abdomen. He is now being treated…?" The article showed a picture of a battered InuYasha. She picked up the next one and continued to read. "The boy, now identified as InuYasha Kalligan, has told police that the leader of the notorious Bloodhound gang, Naraku Fuwa, and Kalligna's ex-girlfriend, Kikyou Miamoto, ambushed him at the docks where he was working…Suffering from short-term memory loss, Kalligan could only say he remembered Fuwa and Miamoto attacking him with knives and tried to kill him. He cannot recall how he ended up in the water, or where Fuwa and Miamoto might be now…rumors suggest that the two have fled the city…" The papers fell to the floor. "Oh my God," she whispered.

It was all too much. It just wasn't…fair.

Back in the kitchen, InuYasha had moved so that he was now sitting at the dining room table, his cheek resting on his fist. Miroku sat down in the chair kitty corner from him and leaned back. They sat that way for a while, neither speaking, because when it came to males and companionship, it often never needed any words. That was the difference between the sexes.

However, it couldn't stay that way forever, and Miroku broke the companionable peace first. "You probably confuse her, you know." He fingered the blue opals that adorned his right hand and InuYasha sensed the pain and nostalgia from whatever was hidden beneath that glove. He wanted to know what it was, but he wasn't one to ask questions, so either he'd get lucky, or he'd never find out. "She's never been kissed, never held hands, never had a boyfriend. Around here, there's not much to choose from, and what her mother did to her after Gramps died, there wasn't time for one." He stared at the young man that had come from far away, long and hard. "I guess I can't stop you or her from doing anything, but I swear, if you hurt her…"

"So the pervert decides to stand up for his beloved cousin," InuYasha scoffed.

"This isn't a joke!" Miroku hissed angrily, grabbing at InuYasha's hair. InuYasha was too startled by Miroku's wrath to do anything. "I'm being serious here. Kagome doesn't know the first thing about a relationship, and I know for a fact that she's taken a liking to you. I'm telling you that you need to be careful. You need to treat her right." He let go of InuYasha's hair and there was such sadness on the rancher's face that InuYasha sat there, shocked at the sudden displays of emotion from what had seemed to be an easy going guy. "Please don't hurt her. Make something, for once in her life, be a good thing. If you do something, that is"

Without another word, he got up and headed back into the living room, leaving InuYasha with his own thoughts.

"God damn it," he whispered. He looked to Kagome's room and sighed as he closed his eyes. "_Kikyou_."

He had come to North Dakota with the hopes of getting away from the troubles that had plagued him on along the coast. He had come with the hopes that he wouldn't see a face that looked so much like his ex-girlfriend, had come with the hopes to start and new life and run away from it all. He had so many hopes…and it was all turning out to be a bunch of worthless shit.

He was an idiot to think such things.

Hope was for the naïve, and he was so far from that.

So far away…

"InuYasha," Kagome whispered, "who _are_ you?"

What had started out so innocently was now turning into something complicated and exasperating. It wasn't simple anymore, it wasn't happy. It wasn't normal.

And they'd all have to live with it until next year, when September would end.

**xxxx**

_End Chapter_

**xxxx**

Author's Notes: So this one isn't as long as the last one, but I hope it got the story moving just a bit more. Hopefully, there weren't any spelling or grammatical errors. I got to read through it once, for the first time! I tried to include Sango in the story, and more characters will come along eventually, but I do hate just having them show up without any reason, so it might be a little while. I ask that you please bear with me until then. As always, I would love to actually receive reviews and kindly ask that questions about the story be sent in the form of a PM. That's it for now. Until next time!


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